Fortune Cookie
by Samantha-kun
Summary: Layla always came to the Paper Lantern in search of advice. Now a visit there may change her life. [OneShot] [WarrenxLayla] [WillxLayla]


Layla sat down at the Paper Lantern in her usual spot as the shop began to close. She watched as the happy couples left the Chinese restaurant and walked off into the night. A shadow crossed her table and she looked up to see a boy with long dark hair staring down at her.

"Hey Warren," she said, trying to hoist a smile onto her face.

Warren Peace sat down across from her and looked at his friend's sad green eyes. "What's wrong with Stronghold now?" he asked, sounding as if he had asked this question many times before.

"How do you know something is wrong with me and Will?" she asked accusingly, "Can't I just come her to say hello to my friend?"

Warren's eyes flashed to the wilting flower on the table.

Layla sighed, "Okay, you're right. It's just, I'm wondering if I'll ever be right for him. He's a hero and I'm…."

"Opinionated," said Warren with a smile, "Look, you _chose _not to support a flawed system. You _chose _to be a sidekick. If he can't accept you for that then maybe he's not the right one for you."

"He accepts me," said Layla in a hurt voice, "At least, I think that he does."

Warren ran his fingers through his hair, a look of contemplation on his face. "If he doesn't accept your choices, then he's definitely not the right one for you."

Layla sighed and stared out the window, "I was afraid that you'd say that."

---x---

Warren pulled on his jacket and began to walk home. The snow melted as he forged a path towards his house on top of a hill. As he neared his house an idea stuck him, and the tall dark haired boy tuned around and began to march back the way he had come.

---x---

"No Will," said Layla, "I just don't think we're right for each other."

"Layla" said Will, a note of pleading in his voice, "Please just…"

"No Will," she said again. "It's over. Goodbye."

With one last look Will slipped out of her window and began to float back to his house, a dejected look on his face.

Layla sat down on her bed, letting the tears finally fall onto her pillowcase. She cried for herself, she cried for Will, and she cried for her own stupid pigheadedness.

A sharp tap on her window made her look up. "Will, I don't want to talk!" she yelled, yanking open the window and letting her powers do their job. Leaves wound their way around the boy crouching on her roof.

"Calm down hippie," said a voice she recognized, "It's just me!"

"Oh," said Layla, hurriedly wiping away her tears and letting the leaves part around Warren Peace. "Sorry. I just… I just…"

The tears began to fall again, even as she tried to hold them back. Warren slid through the window and shut it to keep out the cold air. He took off his jacket and sat down on her floor, his muscles tight under his black tee shirt.

"I'm sorry," said Layla, the tears easing up, "I just broke up with Will."

Warren didn't speak; he merely sat there, looking up at the redheaded girl. Finally after she had stopped crying he spoke in a quiet voice, so soft she had to lean in to hear him.

"Layla, every time there was something wrong with you and Will you came to the Paper Lantern. Why?"

Layla sniffed softly and wiped the wetness away from her cheeks, "I trust you Warren. You always gave me great advice."

"Is that the only reason?" he asked a little bit louder, "Was I just fooling myself into thinking that you came there for me?"

"Warren," she said, "I don't understand."

"Do you remember the say when you asked me to homecoming?"

Layla nodded.

"And you said it was only to make Will jealous?"

She nodded again.

"I thought, even when you two were going out, that you might have liked me. Even just a little, enough that every time you were sad, instead of talking to him, you talked to me."

"Warren," said Layla, sitting down across from him on the floor, "I do like you. You're smart, funny, and not to mention handsome. You could have _anyone, _but why did you choose me?"

Warren smiled, "You're different. You're smart, funny, you speak your mind, and you're gorgeous. And Layla," he dropped his voice to barely a whisper, "I've loved you from the minute I saw you sitting with Stronghold."

Layla sat there as the words she had been longing to utter burst from her. "I love you too Warren."

Every bad choice, every kiss with Will, every tear she had shed seemed to vanish as he placed his hand on her face and kissed her. After some time the two broke apart, and Layla smiled, a true happy smile that seemed to light up the entire room.

"You should go," she said, "It's getting late."

Warren nodded, a look of sadness on his face. "Will I see you tomorrow?"

Layla nodded.

"At school I mean."

Layla thought for a moment, before placing her hands on his chest and looking up into his smoldering brown eyes. "Yes."

Warren gave her a fleeting kiss then vanished out the window. Layla turned off the light and lay down on her bed, turning over her choice in her head. It had seemed so right, being with Warren Peace. With Will she was always trying to be better, trying to make him love her. With Warren she didn't feel that, she just felt happiness inside of her that she could finally be herself around someone.

She turned over and saw a small something sitting on her windowsill. She walked over to the window and picked up the small fortune cookie. She cracked it open and read the fortune inside.

"Love another and you will be happy."


End file.
